Doghouse (1)
by bunnytales
Summary: Sequel to Independence


Doghouse (1/1) – Sequel to Independence, so will make more sense if you read that one first!

"Seriously, I can't believe this."

"Cameron, will you _give it a rest, already._ "

The magician grimaced. "I'll end up with carpal tunnel syndrome, and then how will I do a convincing card trick?"

Mike sighed and wheeled his chair across the three feet separating his desk from Kay's. He bumped his chair up against hers, prompting a raised eyebrow and a look that hovered somewhere between 'not interested' and 'go away before I give you something to complain about.' Leaning in, he lowered his voice. "You know, I thought this whole exercise was supposed to be punishment for _him_ , but listening to him whine is torture for me!"

Kay rolled her eyes as her partner wheeled back to his desk. "Cameron," she snapped. "Quit griping or I'll make sure you're grounded for three weeks instead of two."

Cameron narrowed his eyes at her. "Et tu, Kay?"

"Yes. You jumped off a building and you scared Mike half to death." Kay scowled and briefly considered snapping her pen in half to show their consultant she meant business.

Caught between warring impulses to pout and to grouse some more, Cameron chose the one more likely to irritate his companions. "I can't believe," he said—

"Okay, that's it." Kay stood, noting how Cameron immediately shut up. She stalked over to his desk and practiced her looming technique, which she generally reserved for uncooperative suspects.

The magician fixed her with an insouciant grin and a little twinkle in his eye. "May I help you, Kay?" he asked.

"Yes, Cameron," she smiled, "you may." She raised three fingers. "First, you may turn your attention away from pestering us and back toward that paperwork. Second, once you've completed the paperwork you may get on with the filing Mike set aside for you. Third, you may _exercise your right to remain silent_ while you finish the first and second." She paused for dramatic effect. "Got it?"

For a moment Cameron seemed to hover on the edge of 'got it,' with a possible side of 'you don't have to be so mean.' But then he tilted his head and grinned just a bit wider. Kay, watching, was at once exasperated and impressed: no matter how hard you stepped on him, the illusionist could conjure up an attitude and a cheeky retort with what seemed no effort at all. She, meanwhile, wanted to lock him in a holding cell for a few days. Scare him straight, or something like that. She wondered vaguely if Deakins would let her do it. Probably not…some crap about civil liberties. Maybe she could do it without telling anyone….

"Kay," Mike interrupted. "One of my CIs just called in. He's got info on that Gucci shipment that went missing on its way to Fashion Week. You want to come?" He was already snagging his jacket from the back of his chair and making for the elevators.

Saved by the bell…or the CI. "Absolutely," Kay beamed, shooting Cameron a triumphant look. The magician seemed to deflate a bit at news that his partners would be escaping the dreary office and doing some field work – even if it was just tracking down stolen designer clothes.

As they entered the elevator, Mike held the doors open and turned back toward the bullpen. "Cameron," he called.

Cameron brightened momentarily, expectant. "Yes Mike?"

"Yeah…once you've done that filing, don't forget to log it on the spreadsheet." Grinning, Mike released the doors. The last thing they saw was Cameron's scowl.

Kay waited until they were out of sight before turning to her partner. "You realize those forms he's filling out aren't mandatory, right? And that the files he's going to be slaving over are all supposed to be shipped to the archive facility?"

Mike eyed the floor indicator, pondering. "I guess after he's put them away he'll have to go get them all back out again."

"You're evil, you know that?"

Shrugging, Mike seemed to acknowledge the point. "You know, when I saw him go over the edge of that roof, I actually thought I was going to have a heart attack. Sudden spike in pulse rate, shortness of breath…the whole adrenaline rush / potential cardiac arrest thing. So if we can convince him never to put me through that again, I'm okay with evil."

Eyeing him sideways, Kay nodded. "I like this side of you, Mike," she said. "But maybe next time we can have him do something a bit more productive…like wash the car."

….

Finished!

Note: Thanks for reading! I had planned to get the next chapter of Deceive up, but hit an emergency home repair issue that sucked up my weekend. I didn't even get to read anything. So this is a short piece in lieu. On the subject of the petition, it's still going! Fingers crossed…


End file.
